Consumption of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi by terrestrial and arboreal small mammals in a Panamanian cloud forest

Fecal pellets collected from 10 small-mammal species captured in a Panamani an cloud forest were examined for presence of spores of arbuscular mycorrhi zal fungi. Fifty-two percent of the 94 fecal samples examined contained spo res of greater than or equal to 1 of 6 arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi species , including Sclerocytis coremioides, Glomus fasciculatum, G. rubiforme, G. geosporum, and 2 unidentified Glomus species. G. fasciculatum was the most frequently encountered species, occurring in 87% of the fecal samples that contained spores and occurring in diets of 7 small-mammal species occupying terrestrial and arboreal habitats. Peromyscus mexicanus and Oryzomys deviu s frequently consumed arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and may be important spo re dispersers in terrestrial habitats. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal spores also were common in diets of the primarily arboreal rodent Reithronontomys mexicanus, suggesting a potentially important role of this species in the dispersal of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal spores to epiphytes of Neotropic al cloud forests.